An unfinished paint job proved costly for one motorist when she unwittingly parked her car on faded yellow lines.

Sadie Campbell, 45, was fined £55 for leaving her vehicle on Strathmore Road, West Croydon, in October after she failed to see the the barely-visible yellow line her car was parked on.

After appealing the penalty Sadie, who lives nearby in Thornhill Road, was told that a vehicle had been obstructing the painters when the lines- in a spot next to a clearly marked no-parking zone - were given a fresh lick of paint over a year ago. The job was never finished.

Furious Sadie is now demanding that the council reach for their paintbrushes and complete the job before more motorists fall foul of the faded zone.

She said: "I can't believe that I will be the only person who has made this mistake. This is like a cash cow for the council.

"I would like to suggest they use all the money they have made to paint the yellow faded line bright yellow to avoid this costly confusion. They should paint it as a matter of urgency.

"If they don't them I will do it myself."

Sadie, who is currently unemployed, had her appeal against the fine turned down. She can take her case to the Highways Agency but risks her fine increasing to £155 if she fails.

She said: "I have been parking there on and off for over a year and the first time I did I asked a parking warden who told me it was fine."

"When it is a genuine mistake I don't see why I should have to pay this."

The council said a utility company who had dug up the road for works was likely to be responsible for the unfinished paint job.

A spokesman added: "There has been no recent order logged on our system requesting the repainting of the yellow lines in Strathmore Road."

He said 12 penalty charge notices had been issued for yellow-line infringements on the road in the last year.